hindsight is 20/20, and arm chair quarterbacking is the hobby du'jour on teh webz, but i would SERIOUSLY re-think going into a known wildlife area without some type of firearm. if black bear are as big as they get in your locale, a small(ish) revolver, or more modern semi loaded with 357, 40, 45, etc., would not only dissuade any would-be attacks, but wouldn't put a 63 year old man up a tree...plus, unlike those unwieldy spray cans, pistols go on the hip and aren't effected by petty things like 'wind', or 'distance'.

good to hear everything worked for ya though...yikes!